Premier Tim Houston speaks to reporters on Thursday about an agreement with Nova Scotia teachers. (Nova Scotia government Facebook page)

Nova Scotia will likely avoid a teachers’ strike as government and union negotiators reached an “agreement in principle” late Wednesday night.

The Nova Scotia Teachers Union entered conciliation talks with government negotiators on Monday and Tuesday with a 98 per cent strike mandate. More than 10,000 teachers and educational specialists voted last Thursday to go on strike if an agreement couldn’t be reached.

Teachers are concerned about rising levels of violence in schools, teacher recruitment and retention, and compensation for substitute and permanent teachers.

Premier Tim Houston joined the talks himself on Monday night. 

Houston told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Thursday that he believes the agreement addresses many of the union’s concerns.

“I think it’s an agreement that teachers can be proud of,” he said.

“I did personally attend the bargaining table late on Monday evening and tried to make it clear at that point that we heard the voices of teachers and the NSTU and that this government shares their focus on students, student outcomes and classroom conditions. I think teachers will see significant investments in these areas in the agreement. It’s an agreement that responds to the call that students can’t wait. … Our government has great respect for teachers and our focus was on reaching a deal that was fair to teachers and ensured improved classroom conditions for students and teachers.”

Ryan Lutes, president of the teachers union, said in an interview Thursday that the premier’s presence at the bargaining table seemed to move things along.

“The premier was helpful,” Lutes said.

“Up until that point, I would say our negotiating team saw very little movement on the issues that mattered to teachers and students. The premier shared his commitment to improving classroom conditions, to improving work-life balance for teachers and his desire to invest in public schools, and I think that spurred his team along into eventually getting an agreement with teachers.”

So far, it’s only a verbal agreement. Lead negotiators for both sides are still hammering out the language. As soon as the union’s bargaining team sees and signs off on the document, they can call it a tentative agreement.

Lutes said it will likely take another week or two before teachers see something they can vote on. Details won’t be released until that happens.

“I don’t believe the premier would have spurred along his own negotiating team without the strong strike mandate. I think our members were really important. The message came through with the strong strike mandate that members aren’t going to accept an agreement that doesn’t move their priorities forward. And I think the premier heard that. He was able to pretty positively contribute to that discussion on Monday night.”

The premier said his government shares teachers’ concerns about classroom and working conditions. 

“We knew the importance of the negotiations for sure. That was never diminished and that was never a second thought in our mind. So we’re really happy that we’ve been able to reach the agreement in principle. When it’s all said and done, this is an agreement that teachers can be proud of and I’m optimistic about the path forward from here.”

The government and NSTU have been negotiating since last June. Their last contract expired July 31, 2023.

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Nova Scotia Legislature. Photo courtesy Communications Nova Scotia

The leader of Nova Scotia’s NDP is warning recently introduced government legislation eliminating several independent agencies is putting too much power in the hands of government departments.

Premier Tim Houston’s PC government announced several pieces of legislation last week that would bring the housing authorities, municipal finance corporation, gaming and Perennia under direct control of the provincial government.

The premier argued that if he is to be accountable for the work of these departments his government should have a direct hand in managing the day-to-day operations.

Leader of the NDP Claudia Chender says that interpretation is too broad.

“Well, it will ultimately make him directly accountable for what goes on, of course, because he is the Premier and Nova Scotians will have a referendum in 2025 on whether he remains the Premier. But in the meantime,” said Chender, “the government should be accountable to the people. And by making these changes it is no longer nearly as accountable as it once was.”

A series of government news releases outlines the new pieces of legislation, saying they will increase accountability and create a new Crown corporation responsible for public housing in Nova Scotia; reduce duplication of roles, improve efficiency and bring Nova Scotia in line with other Atlantic provinces by having the staff who conduct and manage gaming part of government and make Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc. a Crown corporation so it can work more closely with the government, increase public awareness of its services, and be more transparent.

Chender says the PC government has established a troubling pattern of centralizing power around them, starting with the firing of the Nova Scotia Health board, shortly after taking office.

“Made it accountable to a CEO who reported up to the premier. Now we’re seeing that repeated with multiple formally independent agencies and crown [corporations] right across government. I think we lose a level of accountability; I think we lose the benefit of expertise and I think it fundamentally politicizes basic services from housing to finance to a number of other operations of the government,” said Chender.

Following the recent firing of several high-profile CEOs from their positions in crown agencies and corporations, Chender is concerned about the morale of public sector employees.

“I would say that most people who interact with government would agree that there is what I think would best be described as a chill in the public service. People are afraid of making a misstep and losing their job or being reprimanded and my assumption is that that will only intensify.”

Chender says it is arguable that reform was required in some cases but in many, government is doing exactly the opposite of what reviews have indicated is needed.

As an example, Chender says the Affordable Housing Commission recommended establishing an independent, arms-length body to oversee affordable housing and instead Nova Scotians are getting another department of government.

“The rationale for that is that you can make good policy driven decisions that are not subject to political whims. What we’ve seen from Premier Houston’s time in government is that nothing in government is immune to political whims from hiring his friends to firing well-respected civil servants,” said Chender. “Everything seems to go through the Premier’s office, and this will just solidify that pattern.”

Should the legislation pass during this sitting of the house, as expected, the Housing Act and Housing Nova Scotia Act will be repealed and replaced with the Housing Services and Supply Act effective December 1.

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Dr. Robert Strang provides COVID-19 update with Premier Tim Houston and Health Minister Michelle Thompson. Photo Communications Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia’s phase 5 reopening plan will see social distancing and gathering limits lifted for businesses but will require healthcare workers and school employees to be vaccinated.

If those employees aren’t vaccinated by November 30, they could be put on unpaid administrative leave and could eventually be fired.

In the technical briefing ahead of Wednesday’s COVID update, Dr. Robert Strang stressed the importance of vaccination.

“If you’re caring for somebody, whether it’s in a hospital [or] long-term care facility. If you’re teaching somebody, who, because of their age can’t be vaccinated, you have an obligation to get vaccinated so you can do your job safely,” said Strang.

Beginning Monday October 4, anyone wishing to enter a non-essential business or activity will need to show proof of vaccination.

Those include full-service restaurants and bars, gyms or indoor sporting events.

People will not be asked to show proof of vaccination at essential services such as retail stores, banks, hair salons, doctor’s offices, hotels or faith services.

For a complete list of where proof of vaccination will or won’t be required, follow this link.

When asked if requiring proof of vaccination to fully participate in the reopening was a way to encourage more people to get vaccinated Strang says that is not the intent of the regulations, but is a welcome side-effect.

“Right now the way we look after each other or the main way in a pandemic, is to get vaccinated because that protects everyone else around us. I’m sorry if people don’t like that but you have an obligation to care for your neighbour. Care for the healthcare worker who’s going to be there for you if you get sick,” said Strang. “I won’t apologize for having to take these strong measures to get to the level of safety that we need to have.”

Nova Scotians who received their vaccinations in the province can obtain a copy of their record digitally by visiting the Nova Scotia government coronavirus web page.

That record will be updated October 4 to include a QR code.

Businesses will be able to download an app on October 22, which will read the code and simply show a green check or red X to indicate if a person is vaccinated without revealing any further personal information.

At Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing, Premier Tim Houston took a decidedly different tone from past efforts to convince Nova Scotians to get vaccinated.

Premier Tim Houston. Photo Communications Nova Scotia

After thanking the majority of Nova Scotians who have been vaccinated, Houston spoke to some of the 60,000 who are eligible but have yet to get their shots.

“Some of you don’t want to and I also know that you want to convince me that there is a reason not to get vaccinated. But let me be very clear, I don’t agree with you,” said Houston. “No matter how many YouTube videos or conspiracy theories from so-called experts that you send to me, we will not agree. Getting vaccinated is important. For the sake of those around you, please, please, get vaccinated.”

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